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MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Chief information officers (CIOs) plan a modest increase in IT staffing activity in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to the just-released Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report (http://rht.mediaroom.com/ITHiringIndex). In the latest quarterly survey, 9 percent of CIOs said they expect to expand their IT departments, and 6 percent anticipate cutbacks, for a net 3 percent projected increase in hiring activity. Eighty-three percent of those surveyed plan no change in personnel levels.

In the same study, nearly all of the technology executives interviewed (91 percent) said they are at least somewhat optimistic about their companies' growth prospects in the next three months; 30 percent are very optimistic. Forty-four percent rated the likelihood that their companies would be investing in IT projects a four or higher on a five-point scale, with five being the most confident.

The IT Hiring Index and Skills Report is based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the United States with 100 or more employees. Executives are asked whether their companies plan to increase or decrease the number of full-time IT personnel on their staff during the coming quarter. The survey is conducted by an independent research firm and developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of IT professionals on a project and full-time basis. Robert Half Technology has been tracking IT hiring activity in the United States since 1995.

Key Findings

• The net 3 percent increase in anticipated IT hiring activity is up two points from last quarter's projection.
• Eighty-three percent of CIOs plan to maintain their current staffing levels.
• Network administration, database management and technical support professionals are in greatest demand, according to survey respondents.
• Fifty-four percent of CIOs said it's challenging to find skilled professionals today.
• Ninety-one percent of technology executives surveyed are at least somewhat confident in their companies' growth prospects in the next three months: Sixty-one percent of CIOs are somewhat confident, and 30 percent are very confident. The total compares to 76 percent of CIOs who expressed confidence in their firms' growth prospects in the third quarter.
• Forty-four percent of survey respondents expressed confidence that their firms would be making investments in IT projects in the fourth quarter, rating their confidence a four or higher on a five-point scale, with five being the most confident.

"While CIOs project a modest hiring increase in the fourth quarter, IT professionals in certain specialties, such as network administration and database management, will continue to be in strong demand," said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology. "The vast majority of CIOs are confident in their firms' growth prospects for the next quarter."

Confidence in Business Growth and IT Investments

Ninety-one percent of CIOs reported being somewhat or very confident in their companies' prospects for growth in the fourth quarter of 2012, up 15 points from the third-quarter survey. Sixty-one percent of CIOs are somewhat confident, and 30 percent are very confident.  

Forty-four percent of technology executives rated the likelihood that their companies would be investing in IT projects a four or higher on a five-point scale, with five being most confident.

Skills in Demand

Technology executives surveyed said it is most challenging to find IT professionals in the functional areas of security (22 percent), networking (21 percent) and applications development (12 percent).

Network administration is the skill set in greatest demand, cited by 72 percent of CIOs. Database management and desktop support followed, with 67 percent and 65 percent of the response, respectively.

Regional Outlook

CIOs in the East South Central[1] and West South Central[2] regions plan the most IT hiring in the fourth quarter. A net 8 percent of executives in both regions expect to add staff.

Industries Hiring

Executives in the transportation industry anticipate the most active IT hiring in the fourth quarter. A net 15 percent of CIOs in this sector plan to expand their IT departments, followed by a net 7 percent of technology leaders in the wholesale industry who anticipate adding staff.

About the Survey

The quarterly IT Hiring Index and Skills Report was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by an independent research firm. First published in 1995, the study is based on more than 1,400 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. In order for the study to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region, industry and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper number of employees within each region. The margin of error for this study is +/-2.6 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence.

Information from the study is featured in the Robert Half Professional Employment Report, which was launched in 2010 and is the first study of its kind to monitor the hiring environment for professional-level positions exclusively. Based on more than 4,000 telephone interviews with executives throughout the United States, it provides insight on employment trends to help businesses and job seekers prepare for the upcoming quarter. To see how hiring within the technology profession has changed since last quarter and how it compares to other sectors, please visit http://www.roberthalf.us/per.

About Robert Half Technology

With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at www.rht.com.

[1] AL, KY, MS, TN

[2] AR, LA, OK, TX

SOURCE Robert Half Technology